The young Belgian actor, playwright, and host Johannes Wirix-Speetjens stars in *Classical Queers*, a monologue in which he steps into the shoes of iconic queer artists such as Freddie Mercury, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Ethel Smyth, weaving a dialogue between his “predecessors” and his own life story.
Classical Queers
Johannes Wirix-Speetjens
1h15’
Classical Queers
Johannes Wirix-Speetjens
1h15’
For many queer people, art has been a refuge—a place where they could be themselves in a world that didn’t always accept them.
Wirix-Speetjens brings these stories—which have often remained in the shadows—to life, showing how queer identity has been reflected in art over the centuries. At the same time, she weaves together the lives and music of LGBTQ+ artists with her own journey of self-discovery in the 21st century.
The show sheds new light on the history of music and demonstrates how it continues to inspire the search for love and identity. Many of these stories are hidden within the music we still admire, listen to, and sing today.
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text, concept, and performance
Johannes Wirix-Speetjens
dramaturgy
Selm Wenselaers
Italian translation
Emiliano Manzillo
music
Abel Baeck
scenes
Gilles Pollak, Jasper Hardy (intern)
costumes
Tine Deseure
writing coaching and final direction
Lisa Verbelen
vocal coaching
Judith Okon, Pieter De Praetere
technical
Jasper Hardy
production
Trappelend Talent, Het Laatste Bedrijf, Arenberg
with the support of
The Flemish Government, VRT, and the City of Antwerp